September 6, 2020 The Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi 11401 Leesville Road, Raleigh, NC 27613 919-847-8205 www.stfrancisraleigh.org Inspired by our patron Francis of Assisi, we seek to proclaim the reign of God by growing in Holiness through our experience of Christ in word, sacrament and one another, offering Hope to those who hunger for human dignity, and extending Hospitality to all. Our Mission Statement Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Transcript
September 6, 2020
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The Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi11401 Leesville Road, Raleigh, NC 27613 919-847-8205 www.stfrancisraleigh.org
Inspired by our patronFrancis of Assisi, we seek toproclaim the reign of God bygrowing in Holiness throughour experience of Christ in word, sacrament and oneanother, offering Hope to thosewho hunger for human dignity,and extending Hospitality to all.
May they rest in peace and perpetual light shine upon them:+ JoAnne O’BrienMother of Kevin O’Brien+ Ann RusnakMother of Charlotte Weldon+ Jonathan LucasBrother of Kelly Calabria
+ Fr. Tighe
Thanks for the many expressions of wel-come I have received since it was an-nounced in May that I would be serving
your parish as its new pastor. I am slowly getting acclimated back to the world of the parish after an eight-year hiatus as a professor at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. I haven’t set off any alarms in the buildings (yet!) and have only gotten lost twice (so far) finding other staff members on the campus.Fr. Jairo (high-row) Maldonado joins us as parochial vicar. He was ordained last June 6 after completing his studies for the priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. He is a native of Colombia, South America. I know you will find him to be a great addition to the pastoral leadership of the parish. Fr. Jim Sabak, O.F.M. will continue in residence at St. Francis although he will no longer have parish responsibilities in light of his full-time ministry as Director of Worship for the diocese. He will continue to have a presence in the parish however, just not as a member of the parish staff. Our house is now known as a rectory, the term used by diocesan clergy for their parish home. Since Fr. Jim will be in resi-dence with us, we toyed with the idea of calling our home a frectory, a combination of a friary and a rectory, but decided that would be too confusing.
The two most frequent questions I have been asked so far are: 1) What do we call you? and 2) Will we lose our Franciscan identity with the transition to diocesan clergy? In response to the first, I answer to almost anything, but most people for-mally address me as either Fr. Michael, Msgr. Michael, or Msgr. Clay. Fr. Jairo prefers to be called Fr. Jairo. While the leadership of the parish will no longer be in the hands of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans), our parish patron is still St. Francis of Assisi. We will continue to follow the example of il poverello (his nickname in Italian, “the little poor man”) and embrace his vision and way of life as best we can. It was bittersweet that the Franciscan friars departed St. Francis of Assisi after 33-years of ministry with you without a proper send-off in light of COVID-19. Once this is behind us, I will be inviting Frs. Patti and Kluge back to St. Francis for an appropriate gathering to thank them, and through them all the Fran-ciscans who have served you, for their ministry among you. It’s the least we can do for all they have done for this wonder-ful parish.I look forward to serving you for many years as your pastor and to the day when we can gather more freely and casually to grow in friendship and service to the Lord, His Church, and our world.
Msgr. Clay
Over this past week or so I have been packing up all
kinds of things, and one day, among a pile of papers on my desk, I found a blue program, stapled together, with a picture of the original St. Francis church building, and the words “The Consecration and Dedication of St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church, Raleigh, NC, October 9, 1983.” It’s a little faded around the edges. It has a drawing of the original church, which was then mostly in the woods, and an image of St. Francis of Assisi preaching to the birds. It’s the program for the dedication of the
original church, and inside is the list of those who were there: Bishop Joseph Gossman, Fr. Jim English, a Jesuit who was the original pastor, and many others. There is a description, in the back of the program, of how the name of the church was decided, and this goes back to April 25th, 1982, before the church was built, when mass was held either outside or in peoples’ homes:“Fr. English gave careful thought to the name of our parish – he narrowed the possibilities down to two saints and de-cided to let the saints choose. He talked
Fr. Steve Patti's Farewell Homily, August 30, 2020
to St. Francis – he said, ‘St. Francis of Assisi, you know I’m searching for a name for our church, and I would like to announce our parish name during the outdoor mass on April 25th. So, I’m put-ting you in charge of the weather and if it rains, I will recommend that the parish be named after St. Ignatius of Loyola.’ Well, on that day we had a beautiful sunny Carolina day. Father English suggested the church be called ‘The St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church” and his recommendation was received with resounding applause.”There is also in the program a reading taken from the life of St. Francis of Assisi. It’s the story of Francis before the crucifix in the ruined church of San Damiano. Francis used to go there often to pray. It’s a small, quiet space, and you can imag-ine a young Francis, looking for some sense of what to do with his life, gazing at this image of Christ on the cross, and the image of Christ looking upon Francis with love. Francis was held there. The reading in the program begins with Fran-cis speaking to this image of Christ:“Lord, what do you want of me?”And the old crucifix in the church spoke: “Francis,” the Lord said, “rebuild my church, which as you see is falling into ruin.” Francis, flailing his arms in wide circles jumped up and smiled – he had found his purpose in life. Francis sprinted out of the church to begin his work.”There is much in that story that describes what it means to be Franciscan: prayer, listening, a love of the church and a will-ingness to help build it up where it might be falling down, a deep joy in receiving the words of the gospel and reflecting those gospel words to a world which longs to hear them.And so because it did not rain on Sun-day, April 25th, 1982, this parish has lived under the name of St. Francis of Assisi, and in the nearly four decades of its life, this parish has, in its own way, asked the same question that Francis asked in front of that crucifix: “Lord, what do you want of us?” Continue on page 4
Our response to that question has taken us places. Francis of Assisi was not one to stay locked within the walls of Assisi, but one who went outside the walls, encountered people, brought people together who might not otherwise be together, learned from other faith tradi-tions, looked upon all of God’s creation as holy and good, had a deep sense of God’s presence found within the ordinary stuff of everyday life.One of my favorite stories about Francis: one day while walking along a pathway, he found a worm in the middle of the path. He reached down, picked up the worm, and brought it to the side of the path so that it would not be harmed. On one level it’s a charming little story. On another level it tells us something about what it means to be Franciscan: to pay attention to and care for the vulnerable, to look upon what is lowly and ignored and forgotten and see its goodness, to see and respond to what the world often does not see or respond to, through the eyes of Christ.And so from our beginnings as a parish pastored by a Jesuit who leaned Francis-can, to the arrival of the Franciscan friars in 1987, we have lived into the question together: “Lord, what do you want of us?” How have we responded to that call?We have come into this church sanctu-ary and listened to the living word and received the body of Christ, the source and summit of everything we are.We have gone around the world to hear the gospel in places like Guatemala, Chernobyl, Cuba, Morocco, Italy, El Salvador.We have gone into hospitals and nursing homes and assisted care facilities and kept vigil with the sick and the dying.We have installed solar panels on our campus to better care for our Sister Mother Earth.We have written letters to otherwise forgotten inmates in prison.We have taught our young people what it means to carry on their faith, in class-rooms and summer camps and mission trips.
We have brought thousands of pounds of food to people in need.We have had lunch with migrant workers in the fields.We began a preschool, a gem which continues to care for our young childrenWe began a K-8 school, TFS, another gem which celebrates its 20th birthday this year.Like Francis of Assisi himself on that day long ago in the ruins of the old church, we have heard the word of the Lord and we have gone to work. God has been faithful to us along the way.St. Francis, toward the end of his life, said to the friars “Let us begin again, for up until now, we have done nothing.” Those are hopeful words, looking at the present in terms of a hopeful future. A calling from God is never a one-time thing. As we, like Francis, continue to pray at the foot of the cross, that call-ing keeps coming to us new and fresh and urgent in our own times as we ask ourselves, to what kind of life is God call-ing us? How do we respond to the times we’re in now in light of the gospel?We know the times we’re in. There is a harshness to life. There is a lack of civil-ity among many. There is a diminishment of public discourse. There is a diminish-ment of people of different faith traditions, nationalities, ethnicities, languages, ages, physical and intellectual capacities. We continue to address deep-seated issues of racism in our country. There is a rise in what is known as surveillance capitalism in which we are identified not as who we are, but as what we buy online. There is a rise in authoritarianism, of technology as a way of control, of violence toward others and toward our planet.And there is Francis, by himself in a small abandoned church outside the walls of Assisi, praying in front of a cross that he might know and follow the way of Christ. For Francis, it meant that he had to lose something of his former way of life, a way of life that was determined by whatever the crowd was doing or saying at the moment, a life defined by pos-
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St. Francis of Assisi is often wrongly credited with the statement: "Preach always
-- use words if necessary." He never said this, and he never would say this for the profound reason that it is words that make us unique as human beings, as creations of a God who brings forth life with words.
For over 30 years words have passed back and forth between so many friars and so many faithful here at the Catholic Com-munity of Saint Francis. Words that have challenged, consoled, grieved, rejoiced, proclaimed, confessed, and celebrated. In these months since January 3rd words have tried to express the wonder and reality of the impact between a handful of Franciscans and an impassioned, resilient, dynamic, and resolute community of faith-filled Christians.
Last Sunday, we friars realized in the depths of our hearts what words can express when gratitude and graciousness are intermingled with love and admiration as this community of faith bid farewell to a regular Franciscan presence at St. Francis. All that we can respond with in return for such heartfelt affection is equal, sincere, and enduring gratitude. Gratitude that there was this time, gratitude that our presence touched so many lives, and gratitude that we were privileged to witness its transition.
Know of our undying gratitude for all your did for us. Know how grateful we each are that God saw fit to bring you into our lives. Know that without this experience we would be much less the friars that we are.
Thank you Catholic Community of St. Fran-cis for daring to receive the challenge of the Gospel and for making real that hope that it contains. It has inspired so many Francis-cans and it truly inspired us. Always together, never apart, you remain with us and we with you. May God continue to show you all the more that must done, and may God help you all to bring it to fulfillment.
Peace and all good, and may the Lord bless you and keep you; may God let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the Lord bless you and give you peace!
Fr. Steve Patti, OFM; Fr. Steve Kluge, OFM; Fr. Jim Sabak, OFM
sessions, by war as a path to glory and fame, by looking good or respectable before others. He let go of that life. It was Christ on the cross who gave him another way of life, a life which brought him places he never could have imagined: among lepers, among Muslims, among all kinds of people with whom he could share the freeing gospel of Christ, a life of peace and reconciliation and joy, a life close to the earth among people and God’s creatures, a life of looking up at the night sky in deep wonder, a life unencumbered by the need to possess anything other than Christ. For more than 30 years, you have shared that life with us, and we are grateful.Let me say some words of thanks to our Franciscan predecessors who have come before us and helped bring us to this day. Fr. David McBriar, who arrived in 1987 as the first Franciscan pastor and who asked the question, what can we as a church do for the city? So much of what we are today stands on his vision.Fr. Dan Kenna, who succeeded David, continued his vision, and whose vision of Catholic education led to the creation of our Franciscan School in 2000. Fr. Mark Reamer, who succeeded Dan and who continued the vision of David and Dan before him, and whose own vision added to our school and preschool and built our beautiful chapel.Let me say thank you also to Fr. Bill McConville who was here when I arrived in 2014 and whose spiritual depth and reflections have added so much to so many lives. Let me say thank you to Fr. Steve Kluge, who arrived here in 2015 and by his pastoral ministry and spiritual care has brought comfort and hope to many.Let me say thank you to Fr. Jim Sabak, who arrived here in 2017 and at the time had no idea of what he was walking into, had never been assigned to a parish, and
Continued from page 3 Thank youwho has thrived in ways that he could not have imagined when he arrived here, and it’s been a joy to watch.Let me say thank you to our parish staff: church, school, preschool, community center, for your witness and dedication to the mission of St. Francis.And let me say thank you to you, the people of St. Francis, who have support-ed our mission through the years, who have prayed before the cross and been faithful witnesses of the gospel in ways known and unknown by your own lives. In the faded blue program for the dedica-tion of the church from 1983, there are notes written in pen in the margins. One of them says, at the beginning, “proceed up from the woods.” Those were different days. There was an opening procession and a blessing and a sprinkling with holy water. During the sprinkling rite, a hymn was sung, “Veni Creator Spiritus”, Latin for “Come, Creator Spirit.” The hymn on that day was sung by a priest who had been ordained only three years, and his name is listed in the pro-gram as Rev. Michael G. Clay. Could he have known at that time that thirty-seven years later, he would be the new pastor of this church that has most definitely “proceeded up from the woods?”The Creator Spirit at work on that fall day in 1983 is the same Creator Spirit at work in these late summer Covid days of 2020, and this beautiful and vibrant parish will be in very good hands with both Msgr. Clay and his new associate Fr. Jairo Maldonado. Msgr. Clay and I have been in touch of-ten throughout the summer. He is getting to know the parish. He is asking ques-tions. He is looking forward to getting started and getting to know the people. He is the right choice for St. Francis, and we are grateful to our good bishop for listening. Please welcome Msgr. Clay and Fr. Jairo as you have welcomed us. And thank you, once again, for your Francis-can witness. In the words of St. Francis of Assisi, may the Lord give you peace! Fr. Steve
Join us for this online program on Septem-ber 15 at 7:30pm that shares the details of St. Francis of Assisi Church’s solar project, how this commitment helps our parish live out our mission and values, and ways to take the next step in solar for your church, business, or home.For this program, we will have several guests, including our solar contractor Scott
Alexander from Eagle Solar & Light; and Fr. Pat Cahill, pastor and Bill Maloney, Solar Project Manager, both from St. Eugene Catholic Church in Asheville, NC, speaking on “Celebrating 5 Years of Solar: Why We Did It and How.This is an amazing opportunity to move forward in making a difference in our impact on our environment and getting any of our questions answered. All are welcome, no matter what congregation or faith tradition you belong to.Sign-up at http://bit.ly/SFAsolar, and we will email you a link to Zoom to participate in this program.
Trevor Thompson, Director of Justice and Peace
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Justice and Peace Ministries
Join Tessie Castillo and Lyle May, co-authors of Crimson Letters: Voices from Death Row on September 22nd, 6:00 - 7:30pm on Zoom for a Q&A book discussion and discourse on faith and activism.
Lyle May, who is currently serving a death sentence in North Carolina’s Central Prison, will call in from prison to share his faith journey to Catholicism, his struggle to find hope and purpose while serving a death sentence, and to answer audience questions about life and faith on Death Row.
Please join us for this important and moving conversation.
To sign-up and get information for Zoom, visit http://bit.ly/voicesfromdeathrowSFA.
Why Solar Energy on a Church?
We have created a daily reflection guide for the entire Season of Creation (September 1st to October 4), which you can access and download at https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/care-of-creation/. This guide provides daily prayers, exercises for whole families, videos, learning, and action to invite us to take time for reflection, prayer, and action to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment.
Conversation with Tessie Castillo and Lyle May, St. Francis Parishioner
and Death Row Inmate at NC’s Central Prison
This summer the Parish installed a Solar Panel Array on the roof of Clare Fellowship Hall. You will be happy to know this project did not require any “out of pocket” funding from the Parish. The installation has been performed by Eagle Solar and Light who offered a lease option. All the upfront costs will be covered by the rebate we receive from the State and Duke Power. The monthly lease cost will be covered by the sav-ings we expect to receive from our Clare Hall utility bills. The lease covers 15 years during which Eagle Solar and Light will be responsible for maintaining the system.
Parish Life MinistriesKathleen Owen, Director of Parish Life
With all the accommodations we have made during the last 6 months, it’s unusual to hear of something positive. But you set me up today for a wonderful experience and I want to share it with you. This happened because we asked and you answered. Way back in March, we had a group of parishioners reaching out to other parishioners just to check in and offer friendship and community. Through this process we were able to identify some folks who needed a bit more than just a phone call or a card once in a while. There were people who because of a combination of health concerns and CO-VID-19 concerns were not getting access to the types of foods they needed. So, Feed the Need and Caring Casseroles stepped up to help. But Feed the Need doesn’t deliver meals. We had never tried to do that before. So what did I do? I asked you for help. We added Pickup/Delivery of Feed the Need meals to our Caring Connections Ministry. It’s easy! You sign on to our electronic calendar, volunteer for a task
Stirring Up Something More than Good!and I send you the contact info. Easy! So now, we are able to help people we couldn’t help before – all because you answered the call to help. THANK YOU!Why am I telling you this? Because I need your help again. You have been so generous sharing delicious meals with these ministries. And we make sure each meal finds a good home. But lately, we’re helping more families with restrictive di-ets and we’re finding it hard to get meals that they can eat. Their conditions make it difficult for them to stand long enough at the counter and at the stove to make the kinds of foods they need. So I’m ask-ing if you could commit once a month to cook for one of these families who would really appreciate your extra attention. Here are the needs we have: • Family of 3 adults who are allergic to
shell fish, black pepper, green pep-pers, pasta, nuts and corn. They like casseroles, cheese, soups with broth (not tomato based) and they like pork, beef, chicken, salads, fruits, breads and desserts.
• Family of 1 adult who is gluten free, allergic to shell fish, nightshade vegetables like eggplant, tomatoes, tomatillo, white potatoes, dairy, Goji berries, Pimentos, Peppers (Bell Chili, Paprika, Cayenne). This person likes lettuce, cucumbers, peas, winter, summer and spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, salad, fruits, gluten Free (pasta, bread, rice); Casseroles, stews w/o flour, gluten free desserts.
• Family of 1 adult who is low/no salt, low carb, no dairy, no pasta, bread, potatoes or rice, no casseroles. This person likes beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish; fruits, vegetables and salads, stews, soups and chili.
I was delivering a meal to one of these families today. I called to make sure I was coming at a good time. I wish you could hear the excitement in their voices when they realize they have a nutritious, safe meal on the way. Their joy makes it easy for me to ask for your help. If you would like to help by cooking meals or by delivering meals, please just give me a call or an email. [email protected] or 919-847-8205x241. THANK YOU!
Contemplative Spirituality. Experience Why - Beginning Friday, September 18 and for the next 8 Fridays from 1 to 2:30pm, we will dialogue on Thomas Merton’s book # 7 in the “Bridges to Contemplative Living Series, Adjusting Your Life’s Vision”. If you have questions or are interested in joining the Friday session contact Tracy Hurley at [email protected] / (828-773-3152) or Deacon Steve at [email protected] / (732-213-0104).
September Collection Schedule September 6 WeeklySeptember 6 Mortgage SundaySeptember 13 WeeklySeptember 13 Support for Catholic
EducationSeptember 20 WeeklySeptember 27 Weekly
Lying at the heart of the Franciscan School is a passion to cultivate environ-ments that nurture students into life-long learners – and to be a family where everyone belongs. As one of The Franciscan School’s first graduates, Lauren Steddum reflects on her experience and how the quality of education and community prepared her for the future. “Some of my fondest memories include being a part of Mrs. Steven’s first 5th grade class, decorating Christmas cook-ies in Mr. DeLaRosa’s class, doing math with Ms. Hastings, learning Spanish with Señora Krull, and studying English with Ms. Souers,” Steddum says. “Each of these teachers is so special to me – they cared for me so well and they genuinely enjoyed teaching!”Steddum, who started at The Franciscan School in fifth grade and graduated in 2004, is proof that academic excellence sets The Franciscan School apart. Steddum was named valedictorian of Cardinal Gibbons High School in 2008, and moved on to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one of the na-tion’s top-rated universities. She gradu-ated in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in biology, a second major in Spanish and a minor in chemistry. She went on to dental school at East Carolina School of Dental
Medicine, where she earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine, and then continued on to the Fayetteville VA Medical Center for a residency in Advanced Education in General Dentistry.“TFS built a foundation that helped me succeed in high school and beyond,” Steddum says. “TFS is where I fell in love with learning – and where I learned some really valuable personal lessons, too. I learned to always be kind and always have faith in myself, even when things seem impossible.”Now, Steddum is a general dentist and part owner of CarolinasDentist, a large practice with seven locations in North Carolina. In October, she will open a new office with the practice. And her practice isn’t the only thing that’s growing. In January, she and her husband, Chris
– whom she met in dental school – will welcome a baby girl to the world. “You never know what connections you’ll make and where those connections will lead you,” Steddum says. “I hope stu-dents at TFS today remember that while they can’t do everything, they can always keep an open mind, take advantage of the opportunities that come their way, and try lots of new things – and now is the best time to do that.”For parents who are still considering whether The Franciscan School is the best environment for their children, Sted-dum offers a word of advice.“Setting a good educational foundation is critical for success in high school, in college and in life – so it’s never too early to prepare for the future,” Steddum says. “At the same time, life is competitive and stressful, so enjoying the journey and having a solid, supportive community is key. TFS prepared me with a wonderful education – and offered me an incredible community to grow with, too.” If you have an interest in learning more about The Franciscan School and all a Catholic education can offer to your student, please visit our website at www.franciscanschool.org or contact Principal Mike Watson at [email protected].
Education MinistriesHeidi Hobler, Director St. Francis of Assisi Preschool
Last week, I spoke about the theme that the preschool has adopted for this school year: “Be a Light”. I wrote how I felt that our students had brought their own spe-cial light with them back to preschool. I also wrote how I felt certain that God was shining His light through them to help us remember His goodness, particularly during the challenges facing us now with the pandemic, social unrest, unemploy-ment, and political finger pointing. As we finish the second week of school, I have delighted in watching this light shine through the children in many different ways. Each day, I have been privileged to witness countless examples of God’s grace reflecting through our children. Fol-lowing are just a few that I’d like to share.When I peeked in at one of our 3-year old classes this week they were all danc-ing to a new song about God’s love; you have probably heard it before in church, “Waves of Mercy”. Even though the children didn’t know the words, they were all moving and jumping around to the music. I marveled at how the music and motions of the song alone captured their attention! How could I not see God’s light when they were praising Him with their joyful movements! I watched one of our 4-year olds gather some of the fallen crepe myrtle flowers out on the playground and present them to her teachers. Just a small yet powerful message of kindness and another way to “be a light”! In a 2-year old classroom, one little girl offered me some of the vegetables that she was “cooking” in the play kitchen; I’ve also been invited to
partake in a snack of goldfish crackers during morning carpool. Sharing is most definitely a way to spread light to others! On her very first day at preschool, one of our 3-year olds fell and scraped her elbow. After her teacher bandaged her, she offered a tiny ‘thank you’ without any prompting or reminders; remembering to offer our gratitude is sometimes hard even for adults!
Scooting over at a table to make room for a friend, offering a goodbye to a new classmate when they are climbing in their car to go home or waving to the workers on the church roof are additional examples of God’s light showing through the humble actions of our preschoolers. Is it not God working when a 3-year old approaches a new classmate who has mobility differences and invites him to play? Is it not God’s light showing when a child offers an unsolicited ear to ear smile when he/she sees you first thing in the morning? Big, little, typical, extraordinary, daily or a one-time occurrence, these are the examples that our preschool children provide to show how they are a light for us and for each other. Our preschoolers continually teach me so many things, but their lesson on how to “be a light” and to share God’s mes-sage truly tops the list! As Msgr. Clay and Fr. Jairo get to know our preschoolers, I am sure that they too will be envel-oped by the light of our small but mighty children! I again encourage you to take a lesson from them, particularly as we navigate these troubled times, and seek occasions to be a light for those around you! Maybe that one chance will be just what someone needs to feel closer to God’s eternal love!To learn more about the wonderful op-portunities that we provide, please visit our website at www.preschoolatstfrancis.com or contact Shelley Freeman at: [email protected]
This Week and NextSept. 8, 15, 22, 29Fall Divorce Care – via ZoomTuesday, September 1 to Tuesday December 15, 7:00pm to 9:00pm, $20.00 per book. We do ask that everyone (new and past participants) register for this event. Note: If you already have a book, there’s no extra charge. To register, visit https://membership.faithdirect.net/events/details/4555. Each week is different, so you can start anytime. All are welcome!
Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28Free Job Connections Zoom meetingJob Connections will host a Job Net-working call via Zoom every Monday at 4:00pm. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82682099189pwd=K2RXbUpDV0RySEZuRy9zYnF6 M2tZZz09. Join us and get the help you need to make a new start!
Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29 & Oct 6, 13Seasons of HopeA six-week series that offers hope through the grief of losing a loved one.We will gather virtually beginning Tues-day, September 8 at 10:00am.Each meeting will last between 60 to 90 minutes. Registration fee is $10 per person and includes a participant journal.The group offers a safe place to share your own journey with grief and to learn from others. We learn to let others into our struggle and to enter gently into theirs, to take strength and to give it.After registering, you will receive a link for the weekly virtual meetings.Visit https://membership.faithdirect.net/events/details/4882 to register.Sept. 16The Faith and Science ForumDid you know that St. Francis parish has a group which discusses the joy and wonder of creation?The Faith and Science Forum explores our natural world in multiple ways:• Rationally: by discussing how faith and science are not logically in conflict.
• Experientially: through the awe of natu-ral wonders and scientific discoveries.
• Spiritually: as expressed in Pope Francis’ Laudato Si that the mystery of nature itself reveals the divine, that the
Spirit is active in all matter, that each creature has its own purpose, and that the universe unfolds in God who fills it completely.
This group meets every 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month from 1:00 to 2:30pm via Zoom to share information by discussing books, to ask questions, and to support one another in our mutual dis-covery and appreciation of our common home where Spirit illumines all things. If you are interested, please contact Ron Monti at (919) 841-0807 / [email protected] or Tracy Hurley at 828-773-3152, [email protected].
Sept 9, 23Quaran-TEA-NIJoin our Virtual Cafe’ and share an hour just passing the time, no structure, no for-mat, just random bumping into each other like we used to do before Mass. Join us the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm for a little light conversation, hopefully a few laughs and maybe some creative ideas to get you throught the next week. Points may be awarded for the best Quaran-do or the best Quaran-tee shirt. Come enjoy some relaxing social time. To register, visit https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/virtual-cafe/.
Sept 14, 28Communi-TEAJoin our Virtual Cafe’ and share an hour just passing the time, no structure, no for-mat, just random bumping into each other like we used to do before mass. Join us the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at 10:00 am for a little light conversation, hopefully a few laughs and maybe some creative ideas to get you throught the next week. Points may be awarded for the best Quaran-do or the best Quaran-tee shirt. Come enjoy some relaxing social time. To register visit https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/virtual-cafe/.Sept 21Cancer CompanionsSt. Francis Parish Life is offering a 9-week cancer support group called Cancer Companions. This will be a virtual group starting on Monday, September 21 at 7:00pm. Registration is
$10 per person, journals will be available for $25, although they are not needed for the course. Journals are to be used as a devotional during the course. To register, please visit: https://membership.faithdirect.net/events/details/5083. For information, please contact Kathleen Owen: 919-847-8205x241.Sept 22 Safe Environment TrainingTuesday, 4:00 - 6:15pmRegistration Link:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/regis-ter/5645026147226533135The session is for adults and will be just over 2 hours long with one short break. It will equip you to recognize and report child abuse and neglect. Upon completion, you will receive a certificate, which you must give to your ministry site as part of your Level C certification. This is the safe environment training that is required for all clergy, employees and those in leadership positions with children and youth. This session is for either initial safe environ-ment training or for those needing the 5-year renewal.
Sept 26Blood Drive
From 8:00am-2:00pm in Clare Fellowship Hall. Visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/donation-time to register.
St. Vincent de Paul still at work: A woman who lives on a disability check can usually get by but when her college age daughter lost her job in another city, she helped her with her rent, leaving her short for her own subsidized apartment. She was 3 months behind but thanks to the moratorium in evictions she wasn’t evicted and with help from SVdP and Salvation Army and her disability check, she was able to pay her rent. Luckily her college-age daughter has been re-hired as she awaits the start of a new semester.
If you know of anyone with a car/truck/boat/cycle to donate contact, Tom Nolan 508-827-6155. If you have any questions about SVdP, contact Cathy Smith at [email protected].
AA Meeting: For our Alcoholics Anonymous friends whose meetings have been ca ncelled. The Internet is full of online recovery resources. Online meetings like this one - you can belong to more than one, or two, or three. AA.ORG main website has a list. There are private Facebook groups, endless websites, and speaker tapes. It’s all there.Al-Anon Meetings: Sun. 7:00pm, LaVerna, lower level.Always God’s Children: Always God’s Children: The monthly support group meeting for LGBTQ+ people and family and friends. To receive an invite to the online meeting, email Chuck Small at [email protected]. Next online meeting is Sunday, October 4.Adult Open Play Nights: Assisi Community Center Gym. Visit http://stfrancisraleigh.org/adult-open-play to contact the ministry leaders for each of our adult open play nights. Alzheimer’s/Dementia Caregivers Support Group:The first Wednesday of the month, 1:00-3:00pm and the third Wednesday of the month, 7:00-9:00pm, in the Padua Room of Assisi Community Center. Linda Tucker, [email protected], 937-478-9537.Centering Prayer: Thursdays, 9:35am or 7:30pm in St. Mary of the Angels Chapel.Community Center Classes: Regular exercise classes and parent/child classes run weekly, September-May.www.stfrancisraleigh.org/programs-and-classes.Community Garden: Saturday mornings,10:00am. Call Pat or Paul Kelly at 919-413-8833, email [email protected], or just drop by.Divorce Care: Divorce Care: sessions will resume Tuesday September 1, 7:00 – 9:00pm in the Padua Room of the Assisi Community Center. For more information contact Bill Morgan at [email protected] or visit https://www.divorcecare.org/about.Grief Support Group Contact Marsha Riely at [email protected] or Marlys Varga at [email protected] Kathleen Owen at kathleen.owen@stfrancisraleighorg. Job Connections: We provide tools and advice on how to stay motivated and on target. To enroll, contact Mary Horner at [email protected]’s Ministry: Breakfast, Padua Room of the Assisi Community Center. Visit https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/mensministry/ for details.Padre Pio Secular Franciscans: Learn more about living Franciscan spirituality in the secular world. Monthly Gatherings the 4th Sunday of the month, 1-3 Founders Room. Contact: Ellen Ferrone - [email protected] Pole Prayer: Join us after the 9:30am Mass on Sundays to pray for peace in the world and our country. Meet in front of Clare Hall for a few minutes of prayer. Prayer Shawl Ministry: Contact Cindy Cardello, 919-846-8825 or Diane Rotunno, 919-844-7153 for details.Rosary Ministry: Mondays, 7:30 - 8:30pm, St. Mary of the Angels Chapel. 50+ Adults Group: Monthly potluck luncheons throughout the year and monthly game days, September through May in Clare Fellowship Hall. Contact Angela Azzopardi, 919-848-1347. Women’s Ministry: - Tue Evenings with Anna Fowler – [email protected] - Friday Morning with Celesta Carlson – [email protected]
Group OpportunitiesDue to the changing nature of reopening our doors, please check the group opportunity to confirm whether it is held in a virtual format or in-person.
To all our volunteers:Here are a few ways you could help members of our parish:Caring Connections MinistryIf you’d like to get to know more members of our community, consider joining our Caring Connections Ministry. Sign up to make check in calls to parishioners, send birthday cards or deliver meals. Also, if you would like to receive care, just let us know how to help. To sign up, please visit https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/offer-or-receive-help/FaceTime and ZoomIf you’d like to learn how to use FaceTime or Zoom or be connected to watch our daily and Sunday programs, or if you’d like to teach someone over the phone, please visit our https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/offer-or-receive-help/Cards and ArtworkIf you’d like to send or receive cards to/from fellow parish-ioners and establish a connection with other folks who are sheltering in place, or if you have kids who would love to send their artwork to brighten someone’s day or if you’d like to receive some artwork, visit https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/offer-or-receive-help/Make a Meal and Deliver GroceriesIf you would like to make a meal or help deliver groceries to those in need, please visit: https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/offer-or-receive-help/Making a CallThe Parish Life staff is calling parishioners to make sure they are safe and aware of several ministry opportunities during the COVID-19 crisis. If you haven’t gotten your call, stay tuned. If you need help or want to offer help, check out our link at https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/offer-or-receive-help/We will match up needs with offers of help. Currently, it seems most folks are handling the daily changes well, but that may change over the coming weeks. Please reach out if you need to talk, need some help or just want to hear a cheerful voice! St. Francis of Assisi is here for our parishio-ners.Thank you!All of our Parish Life Ministries and the Community Center would like to thank you for serving the St. Francis Commu-nity. At this time all other volunteer opportunities are sus-pended until it is safe for us to come together again. Please check your weekly bulletin for updates. Stay well.Offer Care / Receive Carehttps://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/offer-or-receive-help/
Full Time Elementary Classroom School TeacherThe Franciscan School is seeking an enthusiastic and qualified elementary classroom teacher, with primary responsibility for language arts and religion. We provide a challenging, faith-filled environment that encourages students to move beyond their current academic success.
Candidates must have Bachelor’s Degree and be a Catholic in good standing. Preferred candidates will have a NC teaching licensure or be able to obtain NC teaching licensure and have experience in elementary education with a record of excellence.If you are interested, please send a cover letter, that includes your educational philosophy, and resume to: [email protected].
Contact Us! Parish Office: 919-847-8205 fax: 919-870-1790WelcomeNew Parishioner Registration Toni Hammes 847-8205x265Becoming Catholic Jenn Fiduccia 847-8205x238Get Involved! Deb Royals-Mizerk 847-8205x222Franciscan FriarsPastor Msgr. Michael Clay 847-8205x224Parochial Vicar Fr. Jairo Maldonado 847-8205x226Deacon Stephen Andrews 732-213-0104SacramentsBaptism Tim Hetzel 847-8205x244First Reconciliation Sarah Bowser 847-8205x496First Eucharist Sarah Bowser 847-8205x496Confirmation Thomas Bulick 847-8205x239Matrimony Tim Hetzel 847-8205x244Holy Orders Msgr. Michael Clay 847-8205x224Anointing of the Sick Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Reconciliation Appointments 847-8205x249 RCIA Jenn Fiduccia 847-8205x238Sacraments Administration Martina Dumberger 847-8205x264Funeral Planning Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Columbarium Niches Trish Adamkowski 847-8205x236
The Franciscan SchoolPrincipal Mike Watson 919-534-4840Receptionist (Main Number) Diana Chapman 919-534-4837Assistant Principal, K-5 Dawn Smith 847-8205x254Assistant Principal 6-8 Colette Dziadul 847-8205x651St. Francis PreschoolDirector Heidi Hobler 847-8205x240Assistant to the Director Shelley Freeman 847-8205x262Faith Formation Director Jenn Fiduccia 847-8205x238Children’s Faith Formation Sarah Bowser 847-8205x496Coordinator of Youth Ministry Marisa Ferrara 847-8205x223 Middle School Faith Formation Thomas Bulick 847-8205x239Play and Pray (Sunday Nursery) Tara Moore 847-8205x489Parish OperationsCommunications and Webmaster Diogenes Ruiz 847-8205x271 Director of Facilities Marc Kielty 847-8205x227 Director of Finance Rob Neppel 847-8205x243Director of Stewardship Deb Royals-Mizerk 847-8205x222Human Resources Trish Adamkowski 847-8205x236 Parishioner Records Toni Hammes 847-8205x265Safe Environment Specialist Trina Sugrue 847-8205x245
Get Care! Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Care Home Eucharist Visits Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Feed the Need (meals) Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Medical Facility Visits Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Transportation to Mass Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Stephen Ministry Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241St. Vincent de Paul Leave Voicemail 919-534-4842Good Grief Marsha Riely [email protected] GriefShare Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241
PrayersPrayer Line Paul Wilson [email protected] Jackie Adamo 847-8205x268Receive a Prayer Shawl Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Support GroupsDivorce Care Bill Morgan [email protected] Connections Mary Horner 610-755-5392Seeing God in your Cancer Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241AA Daily Reprieve Group Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Al-Anon Madeline Horrigan 919-923-1234 Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Linda Tucker 937-478-9537
Get Involved! Deb Royals-Mizerk 847-8205x222 Worship MinistriesDirector of Liturgy and Music Jim Wahl 847-8205x230Coordinator of Liturgical Ministers Tim Hetzel 847-8205x244Altar Servers & Thurifers Joanie Madormo [email protected]’s Liturgy of the Word Jackie Kelly 203-512-8807Church Keeping Beverly Saunders 919-846-5795Cross Bearers Joseph Randazzo [email protected] Ministry Jean Cooke-Byrne 919-412-8365Environment & Art Theresa Baumgartner 919-848-3383Eucharistic Ministers Tim Hetzel 847-8205x244Funeral Ministers Lisa Gianturco 919-845-9718Hospitality Hands Deb Royals-Mizerk 847-8205x222Lectors Mike Wrzesien 919-624-1592Master of Ceremonies Michael & Julie Ducatte 919-622-8883 Medical Presence at Mass Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Music Ministry Joyce Petzka [email protected] Ministry Steve Burdett 919-845-2714Ushers Troy Chaput [email protected] Weekend Receptionists Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Weekend Welcome Hosts Deb Royals-Mizerk 847-8205x222Wedding Directors Carol Ricotta 919-554-8896Outreach MinistriesDirector of Justice and Peace Trevor Thompson 847-8205x270St. Francis Feeds Becky Cawley 847-8205x267Brown Bag Ministry Mailbox [email protected] City Cares Becky Cawley 847-8205x267Catholic Parish Outreach Sue Hand 919-846-7954Panera Food Pick Up Becky Cawley 847-8205x267Ronald McDonald House Mailbox [email protected] for Life Dinners Ellen Ferrone [email protected] Lady of Rosary Food Pantry Becky Cawley 847-8205x267Interfaith Food Shuttle Becky Cawley 847-8205x267
St Francis ServesCommunity Garden Pat & Paul Kelly 919-413-8833Curbside Care Lori Piraino [email protected] Children’s Hospital Joe and Geanie Slifer 919-870-6993Family Promise / WHIN Hosts Ron Smith 919-455-7786Gabriel Project Trevor Thompson 847-8205x270Migrant Ministry Bruce Cartier [email protected] Pen Pal Jill Balogh [email protected]. Tom Zimmerman [email protected] Cross Blood Drive Bryan Kozak 910-728-9200Refugee Resettlement Aggie Dalton [email protected] Francis Builds / Habitat Diane & Bob Steinbeiser 919-846-8026St Vincent de Paul Ministers Cathy Smith 419-348-8843Support Circles Kat and Ferrel Guilroy [email protected] House Trevor Thompson 847-8205x270St Francis on MissionInternational Mission Trips Trevor Thompson 847-8205x270Sister Parish - Guatemala Carie Gunnells [email protected]. Francis Inn, Philadelphia John Budway 305-205-5104St Francis LearnsCatholic Social Teaching http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/Care for Creation Trevor Thompson 847-8205x270Community Conversations Trevor Thompson 847-8205x270Engaging Spiritualty Becky Cawley 847-8205x267Just Faith Trevor Thompson 847-8205x270Justice Theater Project http://www.thejusticetheaterproject.org/Peace Pole Prayer Ben Whitehouse [email protected] Circles Trevor Thompson 847-8205x270
Parish Life MinistriesDirector of Parish Life Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Pastoral Presence Ministries Caregivers Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Centering Prayer Alice Stanford 919-781-5860Emmaus Ministers Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241EMs to Abbotswood Anita Misko 630-699-0519EMs to the Homebound Pat Spencer 704-608-1678EMs to the Magnolia Glen Jacob House 919-449-7634EMs to the Meadows Andrea McVerry [email protected] to Rex Hospital Edward Gilmartin [email protected] to Springmoor Janice Horner 484-949-1417Prayer Line Ministers Pauk Wilson [email protected] Shawl Ministry Cindy Cardello 919-846-8825 Dianne Rotunno 919-844-7153Rosary Ministry Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241 Ministries of Support & Care Alzheimer’s/Dementia Caregivers Linda Tucker 937-478-9537Caring Casseroles Cooks Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Feed the Need Cooks Kathleen Owen 847-8205x241Job Connections Mentors Mary Horner 610-755-5392Medical Facility Visitors Sharon Holland [email protected] to Mass Drivers Stephanie Smith 919-302-0080Weekday Volunteer Receptionists Toni Hammes 847-8205x265Social Groups AAMEN Ministry Leon Cooke 919-740-7515Always God’s Children Chuck Small 984-204-0012LGBTQ+ Ministry Jane Paris 919-847-7431Men’s Ministry Norm Tuomi [email protected] Ralph Guenther [email protected] Adults fb.me/YoungAdultsofStFrancisWomen’s Ministry Kathleen Owen 847-8205x24150+ Adults Group Angela Azzopardi 919-848-1347
St. Francis of Assisi Community CenterCoordinator of Community Center Ashley Watson 847-8205x444Athletic Programs Mary Arleth 847-8205x358Assisi Café Ashley Watson 847-8205x444Parish Events (FrancisFest) Ashley Watson 847-8205x444Summer Camps (Camp Francis) Ashley Watson 847-8205x444Community OrganizationsGirl Scouts of USA Melissa O’Connor 847-8205x296BSA Scouts:Troop 352 (6th-12th, boys) Mark Priest [email protected] Scouts:Troop 219 (6th-12th, girls) Scott Cash [email protected] Cub Scouts: Pack 352 (K-5th) Rebecca Brooks [email protected] of Columbus Bryan Kozak [email protected] Franciscan Order Ellen Ferrone http://ofscentralnc.orgFaith Formation MinistriesDirector of Faith Formation Jenn Fiduccia 847-8205x238Assisi Scripture Study Jenn Fiduccia 847-8205x238Baptism Ministry Tim Hetzel 847-8205x244Marriage Ministry Tim Hetzel 847-8205x244Confirmation Sponsors Thomas Bulick 847-8205x239Children’s Formation Group Leader Sarah Bowser 847-8205x496Family & Marriage Enrichment Team Tim Hetzel 847-8205x244Middle School Formation Group Thomas Bulick 847-8205x239Faith Formation Regist. & Events Patti Panizza 847-8205x237Youth Ministry Group Leader Marisa Ferrara 847-8205x223RCIA Team & Sponsors Jenn Fiduccia 847-8205x238Play and Pray (Sunday Nursery) Tara Moore 847-8205x489Young Adults Bible Study Group Tim Hetzel 847-8205x244Stewardship Ministries Director of Stewardship Deb Royals-Mizerk 847-8205x222Stewardship Committee Deb Royals-Mizerk 847-8205x222Way of Francis Ben Whitehouse [email protected]
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